Judge dismisses North Forest ISD lawsuit against TEA

The struggling North Forest district is set to be shut down and absorbed by HISD following years of mismanagement

June 24, 2013 9:03:12 AM PDT

HOUSTON --

A hearing in a Travis County court regarding North Forest's Hail Mary move to retain control of the district ends with a dismissal -- and a promise to appeal.

The state says the school district has been mismanaged for too long and wants HISD to take over.

It is the future of the North Forest schools that's uncertain, and it's become a community issue. In Austin, a hearing has been underway in a Travis County court regarding North Forest's Hail Mary move to retain control of the district. But today a judge dismissed the NFISD lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency, saying the court "lacks jurisdiction" in the matter. North Forest ISD has already promised to appeal.

NFISD Superintendent Edna Forté issued the following statement: "We are disappointed that the state district court judge declined to stop the closure of North Forest ISD. We will continue to fight for our children and our community. We have still not received word from the US Department of Justice on whether it approves the merger. The Trustees and our attorneys will continue to explore other options."

Education Commissioner Michael L. Williams issued a statement as well: "Today's court ruling is a victory for the students of North Forest ISD. As I have said for some time now, the NFISD annexation into the Houston Independent School District will take place. To that end, I thank Dr. Terry Grier for all the work his district has completed to assure the transition for North Forest students and parents will be a smooth one. There is more work to do in a short period of time over this summer, and today's ruling allows for that critical work to take place. We are one step closer to finally assuring a quality education for every student in North Forest."